Always There
by BiJane
Summary: He was always there for her. An Eidolon romance. Becomes increasingly psychological: just a warning.
1. Not While I'm Around

**To join the mass of mildly controversial pairings based in the Final Fantasy XIII universe, I give you this! I just love the idea.**

Always There

He was always here for her. Strong, impassive, a guardian. He could listen, but he could also think. He had power, but also possessed a tenderness. It had tried to take and tried to save her life, and now he stood irresolutely with her. And he would always be there.

Vanille gave a small, sleepy smile, feeling her heart beat and with each pulse, with each jet of blood pushed around her veins, he was there, he was with her. She couldn't see him, neither could they, but she could feel his very essence in her bloodstream, in her very soul.

Her defender. Her fighter. Her ally, her servant, her equal, her superior. The one she relied on. The one who'd come whenever he was called.

And she couldn't live without him for a moment more.

They'd met long ago, he'd appeared literally in a flash of light, and she'd been awed, scared, but awed. And since that first meeting, every time they'd met the feeling grew stronger. She didn't know what it was to start with, but it had grown. It became more than a reliance, more than a friendship and was now, quite unmistakeably, love.

She didn't know what the others would think. It wasn't conventional, that much was true, but was anything really conventional now?

And still, loving despite the scorn she'd receive should they find out, the alienation she may well receive from Fang, and the sole remaining companion throughout would be only her lover. Could any love be truer?

She crept out to the empty night, staring at the void of the natural Gran Pulsian sky, smiling, hoping and wishing. He was in her heart.

Quite literally.

She focused, creating the crystal, shining in a glorious golden orange, the many faceted heart shape laying resplendent in her palm.

"Hecatoncheir" she whispered, trembling in the anticipation.

It was almost a shame to crack the glorious crystal, but she had to, to see…him.

She may well have been the only person ever to fall for her _Eidolon_ of all things. She gave a small smile. Ah, well.

She squeezed her hand together, hearing the crack resound through the silent night. A few snaking trails of light wisped through the air, and a shining glyph appeared. Vanille looked around, waiting for the burning red form.

The tall, nimble, handsome man appeared behind her. She span around, smiling gratefully. "You came" she continued smiling with slightly more euphoria than before

"I always do" Hecatoncheir's soft, almost musical voice echoed through the night, its many armed, shining red form glimmering in the moonlight.

"You're always there for me" Vanille smiled, pressing herself closer to the resolute form, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. She pressed her lips to the firm, cold armour, giggling as the Eidolon lifted her up with some of its many arms.

Hecatoncheir brushed a lock of her hair aside, bringing its cool metal lips down to hers.

"I'll always be there."

**I might continue this, depends on the reviews I get (hint hint). I just thought an Eidolon romance would be pretty good, but even so it's not easy to pick a vaguely possible pairing. Fang and Bahamut?!**

**The Eidolons are all different genders to whoever summons them, just a useless bit of trivia. (Except for Hope. No comment).**

**Update: due to the positive reviews, I am writing more hopefully, but it might take a while. I'm in the middle of another fic and have plenty to do in real life. **


	2. A Whole New World

**Yes, I am naming all the parts after songs. Most after musicals because, well, I like musicals. I hope you enjoy!**

She untangled herself from the Eidolon's grasp before jumping up, resting her legs on Hecatoncheir's lower pair of arms. She smiled up at its mask like red face, caressing the smooth metallic skin, curiously playing with the three horn like features. A slow, steady chuckle came from the Eidolon, seeming out of place, like its normal formal voice, especially taking into account its almost fierce appearance. A glimmer flickered through the Eidolon as Vanille finished the touch and drew her hand past its neck and released it.

"Beautiful" Vanille murmured, watching a faint ripple of gold light pass through Hecatoncheir's metallic skin.

It still puzzled her how such an Eidolon could find her attractive. He was tall, strong, beautiful, and had colours more delightful than the firework display in Bodhum. She was small and pale, unlike the sculpted features of Hecatoncheir.

She'd wondered towards the start of their relationship; was there some affection transferring from one to the other through the bond of a l'Cie and an Eidolon? But who'd felt the first flicker of emotion?

She didn't know, nor did she care, she was lost in the present moment. Staring into the glowing eyes of Hecatoncheir.

The Eidolon looked at her, giving a small, haunting smile. "Ready?" his deep, melodic voice was almost taunting.

"Always" Vanille muttered, softly, kissing his cool neck.

Hecatoncheir held her closer with his turquoise lower arms, embracing Vanille with the top set of arms also. The appendages on his back moved around, some lightly cupping Vanille's face, some lovingly massaging her exposed abdomen, but all refused to cause any pain. All were there to show affection, to express the immense love Hecatoncheir held.

"Here we go" the Eidolon whispered, before bending its machine-like red legs. In one brief second, it sprang off the land, soaring through the air, and landing atop some enormous natural formation. Hecatoncheir bounded again, darting from structure to structure, holding Vanille close, until it stopped its jumping progress and stood, heaving a little, and released Vanille to set foot on the ground once again. She was standing high above the Archelyte Step, gazing over the plain bathed in moonlight, and smiling. Accompanied only by her handsome, protective lover.

"Beautiful" she whispered again, stepping close to Hecatoncheir.

"It's where Eidolons go" he whispered, his ghost of a voice barely reaching Vanille's ears, "where we look over Gran Pulse"

"I can see everything" Vanille was awed. She could make out the distant toppled Taejin's Tower, she could see her home, Oerba, glittering, she could see chocobos milling around, she could see Titan, she could see countless fal'Cie, ones she barely knew the name of and she could even see Cocoon in a surprising amount of detail.

"I never knew a sight like this could exist" she gasped, staggering back, awed.

"There's better" Hecatoncheir gave a low chuckle before scooping up Vanille again. Laughing, she soared in the red Eidolon's grasp, feeling exhilarated as she touched the ground again.

"Hey Titan!" she waved at the fal'Cie from Hecatoncheir's perch on its shoulder. The titanic, magma infused head turned, scalding air coming from its maw.

"And, bye bye!" Hecatoncheir laughed again, bouncing from the fal'Cie's shoulder and, in a few more leaps, landing near her sleeping friends.

"Let's…never do that again" she panted, laughing inside at the daring manoeuvre of landing next to the biggest fal'Cie she knew.

"I'll keep you safe: I promised" Hecatoncheir vowed, nodding his crimson face.

"Reckless" she chided good-naturedly, quickly kissing the charming Eidolon on the mouth.

"See you whenever you want" Hecatoncheir responded, kneeling and pressing his lips to her.

They kissed for what felt like hours, clinging on to each other as if afraid that at any moment the sky would fall. As if all that existed was Vanille, Hecatoncheir, and the tiny piece of land they occupied.

Even after seeing Gran Pulse in all its glory, nothing compared to the euphoria of touching, much less kissing, Hecatoncheir.

The Eidolon eventually withdrew, slowly, reluctantly. He smiled before stepping back and turning into shards of light.

"Hecatoncheir" Vanille whispered again. She hated seeing him go; each time, she just had the nightmare that one day she couldn't summon her crystal, that one day it might not work. That she'd never see him again.

But nothing could do that: she would always love him.

She turned, slowly starting to walk back to her friends. How long had she been gone? One hour? Two? Fifteen? Time had no meaning with Hecatoncheir.

Even the name was almost poetic. She whispered the word, giggling.

"Hecatoncheir."

Then she stopped in her tracks. A pair of startlingly blue eyes were staring at her from by a rock formation. They blinked and turned, moving back to her friends. Vanille hastily started running, following. "Hope!" she called out, desperate, slightly scared.

How much had he seen?

She couldn't bear letting the others know about her unorthodox (at the very least) relationship. What if…

She just couldn't stop loving Hecatoncheir: no matter what they tried.


	3. Love Who You Love

**Sorry if it slips into any first person. I kept becoming Vanille accidently and I'm not sure if I've corrected all the pronouns. **

**As always, review and enjoy! **

Love Who You Love

"What?" Lightning looked coldly at Vanille. "You've been running off to spend the night with your Eidolon?" she sounded somewhat disbelieving, though more of Hope, the one who'd told her, than Vanille.

Vanille looked at them. Hope had seen her kissing Hecatoncheir and had rushed back. Now she faced Lightning in the vast Archelyte Step. Hope stood near Lightning, close; they were always like that, inseparable, but Vanille never got any real sense of a romance. Just something almost, well, familial.

She looked to Lightning's right, past Hope, and saw Snow standing, arms crossed, looking more confused about the proceedings in general than anything. Sazh stood near the wall, to Lightning's left. Only Fang stood near Vanille; the Oerba tribeswoman had a hand resting on Vanille's shoulder, facing down the other four. Vanille was glad to have some support; she supposed she had wanted to tell them, but this wasn't the best situation.

Not that she could blame hope. His mother had died; he'd latched on to her like he'd latched onto Snow. And when he saw something like a betrayal he could pretty much snap. Vanille sighed; first his mother, now her. He no doubt felt more alone than anything; trying to gain the respect or admiration of Lightning. She hoped he'd succeed.

"Well?" Lightning groaned. It felt like a court; a trial. Guilty or not guilty. But she didn't know how to answer. Sure, she could lie, but why would she? These were her friends. Alls he could do was put off the inevitable. But what if she told the truth? What then? Would they reject her?

"Why do you care?" Fang stepped in front of Vanille, almost confrontational, staring at Lightning.

Vanille smiled briefly. Some support, at least.

"What makes you think Vanille'd fancy an Eidolon?" Fang seemed disbelieving, possibly angry.

Vanille's flicker of hope vanished. So not even Fang could support her? Was that who she was: Vanille, the Eidolon lover, the freak? So no one could understand? How could she tell them?

"Look, Vanille" Fang turned, exasperated, from Lightning. "Did you go off with your Eidolon?" Fang seemed to be expecting an answer. A negative, no doubt.

But could Vanille lie to her? She'd done that once, she'd lied about Ragnarok. That had hurt Fang, that had hurt both of them. She said she wouldn't lie again. She'd promised.

"Yes" Vanille squeaked, voice barely audible.

Fang did a double take. Hope looked down, ashamed. Lightning scowled. Snow stepped back, astonished. Sazh exclaimed; "you did _what _to an Eidolon?"

"It's not like that!" Vanille shouted, confident again, defiant. She knew they'd get the wrong idea. "I love him: not lust, not like, _love_" her normal cheerful personality had fled.

She looked at them; all five. But even Fang seemed distant. She was alone.

No she wasn't. He'd always be there.

Vanille raised her arm, concentrating and creating the shining heart shaped crystal in her hand. "This is who I love" she stated simply, clenching her hand and calling Hecatoncheir.

The blinding array of lights sparkled, intricate patterns appearing in the air, glyphs and whorls of sheer energy setting and calling the humanoid, tall, red, handsome figure of the smart Eidolon. Vanille ran up to him, comforted simply by his presence. Hecatoncheir looked at her, somehow picking up why he'd been summoned with that glance, before he looked up at the others.

"Vanille" Fang gestured for Vanille to come to her; "that thing tried to kill you"

"It tried to save me. The Eidolons come when we need to die; they come to grant wishes" she laughed, cheered simply by touching Hecatoncheir.

The Eidolon stood impassively, not speaking.

"They were made to fight. Nothing more" Lightning swung her gun-blade, eyes focused on Hecatoncheir. "They came in battle and go in bloodshed"

"You don't believe that. I've seen how you look at Odin" she joked; "you see him as more than a fighter"

"Alright, so I respect Odin" Lightning seemed somewhat disgruntled, "I respect him as a fighter"

"Is my love that taboo? Can you never let anyone love?" Vanille couldn't quite believe Lightning thought like that, "what about Serah?"

Snow stiffened. Lightning took a step towards Vanille and brought a hand up, ready to swing it across and hit her.

Hecatoncheir darted from around ten metres away and seized Lightning's hand before she could finish the slap. "I cannot let you harm Vanille" he spoke softly.

"You can speak?" Fang was taken aback. She whirled her spear in her hands.

"What if you're the one that hurts her?" Lightning hissed at the Eidolon.

There was a moment's silence.

"Don't ever compare _that_ to Serah" Lightning muttered through gritted teeth, sheathing her blade and marching past Vanille, angry, recoiling from Hecatoncheir.

He knelt down and gave Vanille a quick peck on the lips, before dissolving into light.

"I can't believe you" Snow shook his head, sighing, as he too walked past.

Hope walked up to her, paused, looked at her, before walking on, silent.

Sazh walked straight past Vanille, never even stopping. She'd betrayed him twice: once with Dajh, and now this. Who knew how he felt?

"Fang?" Vanille looked up at the other Oerba born l'Cie.

"I thought I knew you. But an Eidolon?" Fang closed her eyes. Disgusted, Fang walked past Vanille, leaving her utterly alone.

Not alone. Never alone.

"I cannot let anything hurt you" the first words the Eidolon had ever spoken to Vanille came back, singing resplendently in her mind.

She smiled, remembering. "Hecatoncheir" she called, closing her eyes and focusing. A crystal, the familiar heart, formed in her hand.

It was grey, dull, lifeless. The golden light no longer emanated from it.

Vanille frowned, trying again, but this time she couldn't even form the crystal. She looked at her empty hands, falling to her knees.

She lifted the grey crystal, the grey heart echoing how she felt. It was empty. She could sense that, even without the lack of light. Hecatoncheir wasn't with her any more.

"You said you'd always be there" she spoke quietly as a few tears formed in her eyes. "You said you loved me."

He also said he'd never harm her. The vow sounded in Vanille's memory, now hollow and lifeless, like the crystal. Was he trying to keep her safe by staying away from her?

She'd never kiss him, never fly through Gran Pulse, never even touch his smooth, cool skin again.

For the first time, she felt alone.

Staring into the grey heart, she had never felt so alone.

**Sorry, a bit depressing. I didn't want to write it this way but it feels like the story's writing itself.**

**Again, sorry if this wasn't how you wanted the story to go. I for one definitely wanted more romance, but this just happened. **

**This isn't over! two/three more parts to go according to the current plan. Enjoy! **


	4. Evermore Without You

Had it been weeks? Months? Probably weeks. Maybe months.

Vanille still hadn't recovered.

She shot a sideways glance at the dull crystal. She kept it close to her, on a chain around her neck. Maybe he'd return. Maybe she could make the crystal suddenly spark to life. As she'd been trying for the last few weeks. Or months. Or years.

"You're not still moping, are ya?" Fang walked back to her, away from the rest of the far-ahead travellers.

Vanille looked at her, barely able to answer.

"Look, we've been over this" Fang sighed, expression softening at Vanille's heartbroken gaze. "He didn't love you. He was an Eidolon, and he left you"

"No" Vanille's voice cracked, but that was all she could bring herself to say.

Vanille could still feel his touch, a lingering trace on the back of her neck. But that was all; a fading memory. She'd never hear his voice again, and never even see him, not a glance. No way to remember him. Just her memories. She hadn't dared let go of those memories, and now they dominated her life. She saw echoes of his face, glowing eyes in the dawn, the patterns of his summoning in the other Eidolons and, if she held the crystal up to the Sun, she could almost make out a ghost of where he'd once rested in the crystal.

Hecatoncheir. She could barely bear to think the name, much less speak it.

"Go on, to them" Vanille gestured to Fang, looking at Lightning, Snow, Sazh and Hope as the group continued along the path.

Fang looked at her, before turning and looking at the distant others. "Just don't forget what I said" Fang commanded, before running back up to the others.

"Forget" Vanille murmured, voice barely audible. "If only."

She lifted the grey, glass like, faceted heart on its chain, looking down through it and seeing the sunlight shimmer in the centre. There was an imprint, a silhouette, of the many armed Hecatoncheir within it.

She hummed a slow, mournful Gran Pulsian tune, remembering the days where it used to be sung by the whole village. A slow piece of music, sung, hummed and even whistled often, but Vanille couldn't quite remember why or where. It just summed up how she felt. She tried to inject some modicum of artificial happiness, upping the tempo and trying to sound more upbeat, as she struggled over the rough floor. She stammered on a long note, before sighing and giving up. In silence again, she moved, empty, floating almost, towards Fang and the others.

She cupped the crystal in her right hand, the icy feel of it bringing her back to reality.

_Hecatoncheir. I don't know if you can hear me but, well…I need you. Come back! You said you wouldn't hurt me: what do you think you did by leaving me?_

She prayed on the heart. Silently hoping that somehow her lost Eidolon would hear her: she harboured no illusions however, and knew the one thing she refused to admit.

He wasn't coming back.

She pulled the heart, making the chain holding it up crack behind her neck. She lifted it, staring through the glass facets, peering at the dulled crystal.

"You're hurting me, hurting me by staying away" her voice cracked as tears started to fall from her face.

She threw the crystal along the empty Archelyte Plains, watching it skitter until it hit a jagged rock. It cracked and, as it hit the ground again, shattered.

She expected light, expected some wisp of magic, maybe a glyph, anything that would signal to her that Hecatoncheir hadn't gone.

There was nothing.

Just the tinkle of breaking crystal; unnaturally fragile crystal. The crystal heart broken, mirroring Vanille's own.

She turned away, leaving the cracked shards.

Evermore alone, she started towards Hope, Fang and the others, desperately hoping she could move on. But knowing that irrevocably, for better or for worse, her heart, like the crystal, was empty without Hecatoncheir and, like the crystal, had broken into a thousand pieces.

**Naturally, a couple more parts left.**

**Enjoy and review!**


	5. Endless Night

Hope stretched, hiding a yawn as he awoke. He looked around the small campsite, seeing the other party members. Lightning sat up, one leg flat across the floor with the other leg bent so it reached her face, making it appear as though she was awake when hope could see her head lolling slightly and resting on the stone formation behind her. Snow was on his back, using his folded jacket as a pillow as he softly snored. Sazh slept close to the rock, the chocobo curled up below his chin. It cawed softly. Fang was a little distance from the rest of the party, her spear right in front of her, and facing out from the stone wall through closed eyes.

Hope sighed. He was the only one awake. He pulled his gloves on, and slipped his creased jacket over his arms, salvaging them from their secondary use as a pillow and blanket.

He'd missed something.

The thought suddenly caught him off guard. He looked around the sleeping l'Cie, keeping quiet. There was a mat of crumpled grass near where Fang slept. Hope frowned. Then it hit him.

He quickly looked around the party. She wasn't there. Vanille wasn't there.

Cautiously, Hope got to his feet, making as little noise as he could so as to avoid waking the rest. He slipped his feet into his shoes, softly tiptoeing past Snow. He stopped moving once he was a few metres from the sleeping group.

Stopping there, Hope looked around. Lightning had taught him the basics of tracking; not much, but he could see the bent blades of grass leading from where Vanille had slept. That pattern meant it had to be one person, walking away. No resistance: meaning she'd gone of her own will.

Hope paced up along the tracks a little way, but he couldn't see Vanille. She had been heading in the rough direction of the Western Benchland: that much he could tell.

That merited some action.

He hastily stepped over to Lightning, pausing for a moment to watch her (for once) tranquil face. He knelt down, grabbed her shoulders and shook, waking her up. Lightning's eyes jolted open, and her right arm sought and grabbed the hilt of her gun blade before she focused.

"Hope" she grunted, lowering her weapon. Hope neared her again, having jumped back.

"Vanille's gone" Hope whispered, trying not to disturb the others.

"She what?" Lightning sat up straighter, looking at Hope

"I just followed her tracks; she woke up before us and went to the Western Benchland"

"You sure?" Lightning turned momentarily serious, feeling pity for Vanille despite her harsh words those weeks ago. Even at the very least, she was still a friend.

Hope nodded.

"Hmph" Lightning got to her feet, façade of strength lapsing for a second to help Hope up, before she shouted, waking up the rest of the group.

For what felt like the hundredth time, Vanille focused, calling to her mind images of Hecatoncheir, Gran Pulse as viewed from above, and the shining orange heart shaped crystal. She opened her clenched fist, looking at empty air.

She couldn't even summon the crystal any more. And the only other memory she had of him was laying shattered on the Archelyte Step.

"You promised you'd always be there" she shouted to the empty air, as a few salty tears were brushed off her face by the strong winds.

The Western Benchland lay behind her. The huge plain was empty, desolate, creatures hibernating in whatever caves they went to. Vanille turned, staring away from the field. She stared out past it. There lay a cliff edge, bald, brown, rusty rock forming smooth, curved stone surfaces.

Vanille took a step forwards, until she was two steps from the edge of the cliff.

Three more steps and she'd fall into oblivion. The edge of the cliff was abrupt; she thought it would be jagged, maybe a slope, but no. It was a simple cut off; the rest of the cliff curved beneath the ground she stood on now. It was a disconcerting thought. As she took another step forward, she could practically feel the land quivering.

Two more steps. Her bright red pigtails were blown across her face in the roaring wind. She shook it off, focusing. Just two more steps.

What was life without him? Hecatoncheir literally meant everything. Before she first met him, she was ready to die. Fang knew that she'd lied, Fang knew that it was not Vanille who became Ragnarok, but instead was her: Vanille didn't want to hurt her, but in the end had inflicted more pain. No more lies. But did that mean anything? She'd forced Serah, Lightning, Snow, Sazh, Hope and Dajh to succumb to the doomed fate of a l'Cie.

Right at that instant, she was on the threshold between life and death, closer to death more so than she was now.

Her life had no meaning then. She was the one person Fang could trust, and she'd betrayed that.

But then Hecatoncheir had appeared. His appearance had given her life new meaning. And once he'd gone, that meaning had gone with him. Now she stood there, alone.

She took one more step, lingering right on the precipice.

Your life was supposed to flash before your eyes, right? Maybe that would let her see Hecatoncheir, even if for a split second. Better than nothing. Oh so better than nothing.

She prepared herself, for that one, final step.

"Vanille!" Fang's voice echoed across the windy plain. The redhead turned, the tips of her toes still curling over the precipice.

"Go back, Fang" Vanille shouted back, unable to look at her old friend without recalling that sneer she'd given at the suggestion of loving Hecatoncheir.

"I won't leave you. You know that" the blue drapes surrounding the Oerba l'Cie were blown around madly by the strong winds. "I'm sorry about how I reacted, ok? I forgive you"

"I don't need you to forgive me. I need him back"

"You still-" Fang's surprise at the retort wasn't fully expressed as a stronger gust of wind carried the words away.

"Vanille!" Hope's voice carried across, his messy silver hair being flicked by the wind as he stood some distance away, on a different cliff edge, yelling across. "You don't have to do this!"

"Do you think it'll bring him back?" Lightning sounded dismissive, hiding the sick fear she felt inside.

"He's not coming back. That's the problem!" Vanille shouted, voice barely audible over the gale.

"You can't know that" Snow joined the persuasive voices. "When Serah became a l'Cie, I thought that was the end of it for her. It didn't stop me. When she became a crystal, I thought that was it too. But it wasn't; none of it was" Snow tossed Serah's crystal tear in his palm.

Vanille moved half a step back from the edge, smiling as a round, yellow ball of fluff bobbed through the air, lightly cawing. Vanille smiled, giving a small laugh as Sazh's chocobo gave a worried 'Kweh' as it shook in the wind. The bird flew up, landing and tucking itself into her red hair. She laughed a little moving back another step.

Her eyes widened as she realized what she was doing; laughing!

Vanille attracted the chocobo off her head with a hand, getting the yellow ball of feathers to stand on her finger. She lowered her hand, smiling sadly at the chocobo.

"Go back to Sazh" she whispered.

In a way it was the laughter that had done it. A momentary happiness; perhaps as happy as she'd ever feel. It was barely anything. Not compared to being near Hecatoncheir.

She watched the chocobo bob back through the wind, landing in Sazh's ample hair.

"You promised you'd be there" Vanille whispered, a fresh tear trickling down her cheek. "You're nowhere" she looked around the cliff.

She took a step back forward.

"Don't Vanille!" Fang shouted, running.

With a blissful, almost content smile, Vanille took one last step forwards. Maybe she'd see him again. Who knew? She felt her l'Cie brand start to glow, start to shine. Was it because she was near death?

A streak of red at blinding speed shot from the cliff edge, leaping from the land. The light on Vanille's brand dimmed, as the red blur became more distinct. The streak of red stopped next to Vanille.

"Hecatoncheir" Vanille whispered, before gratefully collapsing in his arms.

The Eidolon fell, bending his metallic knees as it hit the ground at the bottom of the cliff, shuddering.

"I care about you: don't you ever forget that, but I don't want you to lose your friends because of me." The Eidolon's soothing tone opened Vanille's eyes.

A small tear trickled from his right eye, splashing onto Vanille's already moist cheek.

"I love you" Hecatoncheir said the words for what Vanille knew to be the first time.

**Yay! He's back!  
Just one more part.  
Please review. I'm starting to think I left everyone behind when he left...**

**Is it just me or was this eerily similar to Twilight? It wasn't intentional, honestly, but still...**


	6. Hopelessly Devoted To You

**Here's the end. Hope you enjoy and...why do I keep writing these introductions?**

Fang paced across the empty field, looking at Vanille as she kissed Hecatoncheir's cheek. She turned reluctantly away from the Eidolon, running up to Fang.

"I can't talk you out of this, can I?" Fang said

"Nope" Vanille smiled

"You really love it, huh?" Fang looked over the redhead's shoulder, at the standing tall Hecatoncheir.

"No" Vanille replied. "I love _him_"

Fang sighed, looking back to the many armed Eidolon.

"Enough for me" Fang concluded, exhaling quickly. She stepped forwards, turning and grasping Vanille's hand. "I don't want to see you hurt again." she stared into the redhead's eyes, as if by force of will she could help her.

"Thanks" Vanille broke into a bigger grin, jumping a little.

The two old friends stood, still, for a brief moment, before Fang released Vanille's hand and walked up to the Eidolon. The dark haired Oerba tribeswoman looked the Eidolon up and down.

"You look after her, you hear?" Fang glared at the imposing Hecatoncheir.

"Always" Hecatoncheir nodded. "But you'll be here too"

"Of course" Fang twirled her spear, before effortlessly strapping it across her back again.

"You're not…mad?" Vanille spoke up, slightly startled

"Why would I be?" Fang looked down from the Eidolon's face, "Sure I was a little shocked, but it's your life"

Vanille grinned again, jumping up onto Hecatoncheir's shoulder.

Sazh's small yellow chocobo fluttered up, cawing as it near the Eidolon's face. "Kweh!" The chocobo rolled away, startled, as Hecatoncheir moved. The chocobo flew up to it again, bobbing around its shoulders. Hecatoncheir turned around, following the chocobo chick with his eyes, giving a low chuckle. Vanille laughed along, watching the chocobo bob through the air. It seemed to be enjoying the Eidolon's company.

"Who am I to disagree?" Sazh muttered, amused at the flying chocobo. He was standing on the outskirts of the field, watching Fang, Vanille and Hecatoncheir.

Snow and Lightning stood the opposite side of the field.

"They look happy" Snow commented, scratching the back of his head.

"I didn't realize how much she cared" Lightning sighed, a drop of tenderness escaping her icy exterior.

"You feeling alright sis? That almost sounded nice"

"I am _not _your-" Lightning turned, eyes blazing, before wilting slightly. "I didn't realize how much she cared" Lightning said again, this time referring to Serah

"We all had that problem" Snow sighed, looking at the couple. In the right light, he could just about see strands of pink in Vanille's hair. He could imagine Serah there, running around and smiling even when no one approved.

"She's got my support" Snow added, crossing his arms behind his head as he watched Vanille and Hecatoncheir.

"I guess so" Lightning smiled.

Several minutes passed, until the chocobo chick tired out, and Fang, Sazh, Snow and Lightning had gone to set up the camp.

Hope wandered up to Vanille and Hecatoncheir, as they stood bathed in the light of the setting Sun.

Vanille moved towards the silver haired boy, moving away from the handsome Hecatoncheir. In some ways, it was Hope's approval she sought most for: he was the one who'd begun the debate, who'd told Lightning. Honestly, she couldn't blame him. But still, she needed acceptance, needed validation. Who wouldn't?

"If you're happy" Hope shrugged, smiling slightly.

"Really?" Vanille's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting such a flood of acceptance.

"I didn't understand, that's the truth." He was uncharacteristically serious, "I thought you were just fooling around; I didn't know you were willing to…die"

"She won't need to" Hecatoncheir added, his tone almost singing. "If you love someone enough, you have to be willing to let them go: if you're the one hurting them"

Hope nodded. "But, if that love's strong enough, you won't need to" the boy finished the phrase, surprising Hecatoncheir.

"I never thought like that" the Eidolon smiled, kneeling to look Hope in the eye

"Well you need to start" Vanille gave the Eidolon a quick peck on the cheek.

"If love is strong enough…" Hecatoncheir mused. He gave a slow smile, scooping up Vanille.

"Bye, I guess" Vanille laughed, whooping as the crimson Eidolon soared off the ground. The two lovers bounded along rocks and grass, skipping along the backs of Adamantoises and twirling over Titan's head, until they leapt over Taejin's Tower and stopped in a thin coating of crystal dust.

"Oerba" Vanille whispered, stepping away from her Eidolon, into the glimmering village.

"Vanille" Hecatoncheir's voice was deep, friendly. Vanille turned, somehow knowing to grasp one of his lower arms. "Thank you" the Eidolon spoke softly.

Hecatoncheir closed his shining eyes.

A curious sensation washed through Vanille, a light tingling, emanating from the brand on her thigh. She felt ripples, tiny sparks of golden light drift through her, into her hand and into the focusing, metallic Hecatoncheir. The ring of limbs on the Eidolon's back started to twirl, until lines of white and gold were flung out of them, striking the tumbled down houses, and contacting the overturned earth. The energy spread, like drips of water might form a pool, the energy spread, moving from crystal speck to crystal speck, white gold enveloping Oerba.

"Beautiful" Vanille murmured.

The light started to dim. She heard a distant rumble, soil rolling some place far off. The blanket of light faded further, while the morphing ground grew stronger. Vanille held tightly onto Hecatoncheir as the Eidolon's eyes snapped open.

The shimmering energy covering Oerba vanished instantly, and Vanille gasped. The cracked and torn floor had been sealed over, smoothed out, while the shattered windows were repaired, the rust had been wiped away, the roofs had been recreated, the Cie'th had vanished, the structures were twisted back to shape, the water was purified, the weeds eradicated, and it was all shimmering. Like crystal.

"I never knew you could…" Vanille's voice trailed off, gazing into the recreated Oerba.

"I can't. This was both of us: your memories and self control, my energy" Hecatoncheir lightly brushed a lock of Vanille's hair aside.

She stared at the Eidolon in wonderment, for the first time feeling as if she was truly seeing him.

"If love is strong enough, as your friend said" Hecatoncheir smiled

"Then anything's possible" she reached up, stroking the Eidolon's textured face.

She might be a l'Cie, she might be doomed to becoming a Cie'th or becoming Ragnarok, but right now, she had one more thing. She had hope.

Right now, it didn't matter what the future held, it didn't matter what lies she'd told in the past, or what lies he might telling the future. Right now, only one thing mattered.

"I love you" Vanille slowly spoke the words, meaning them more than she ever had before.

"I love you" Hecatoncheir spoke the words for only the second time.

And the two, Eidolon and l'Cie, kissed in the centre of the shining village of Oerba, surrounded by ghosts now with a chance of rebirth.

"Don't ever leave me" Vanille broke the kiss for just enough time to speak those words.

"I never will" Hecatoncheir embraced her. "I'll always be there."

**Here's a thought to finish off with:**

_Like two doomed ships that pass in storm  
We had crossed each other's way:  
But we made no sign, we said no word,  
We had no word to say;  
For we did not meet in the holy night,  
But in the shameful day._

_Oscar Wilde_


End file.
